Coin-operated vending-machine.



PATENTED OCT. 13,1903.

J. B. FENDER' COIN OPERATED VENDINGMAGHINE.

lgegim", I

APPL'IOATIOH FILED SEPT. 8, 190B.

No. mines.

latente'd October 13, IQOS:

PATENT EicE.

JOHN BROWN .FENDEELOF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAM LEVY, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS,

W. J. HEFLEY, OF WAOO, TEXAS, AND ROBERT MCBRIDE AND LIAM A. WINDSOR, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

I'VIL- COlN-OPERATED VENDING-MACHIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,022, dated October 13, 1903- Application filed September 8 1902. Serial No. 122,620. (No model.)

To all z'vhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BROWN FENDER, acitizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Coin- Operated Vending-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in coin-operated vending-machines.

The object of the present invention is to im prove the construction of coin-operating vending-machines and to provide a simple and comparatively inexpensive one designed more particularly for selling cigars and adapted to deliver-the same to purchasers without breaking the wrappers or otherwise injuring the cigars.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a vending machine of this character which will be capable of ready adjustment to enable it to be operated by coins of different denominations.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a portion of a vending-machine constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the reciprocating plunger and the supportingbracket. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View of the same, illustrating the construction of the adjusting device for varying the size of the coinspace for enabling the machine to be operated by coins of different denominations.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a cabinet or casing which may be constructed in any desired manner and which is provided with a coin-receiving slot 2, from which depends acoin-chute 3, preferably in the form of a tube and adapted to direct a coin into a coin-receiving opening 4 of a plunger 5.

upper rod or stem 6 and a lower slotted or bifurcated portion 7, which is provided with the The plunger 5 consists ofan said opening 4. The rod or stem, which is round, passes through guide-openings of arms 8 and 9 of a bracket 10, which is also provided with an arm or portion 11, having a slot for guiding the lower slotted or bifurcated poi"- tion of the plunger. The arm 9 is arranged atthe center of the bracket, and the arm 8,

which is located at the top of the bracket,

projectsfromthe same inopposite directions and is perforated for the reception of screws or other suitable fastening devices for securing it to the cabinet or casing. The plunger is normally held in an elevated position by means of a coiled spring 11 disposed on the lower portion of the rod or stem of the plunger and interposed between the arm 9 of the bracket and a pin 12, located above the arm 9 and passing through the rod or stem, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. When the plunger is forced downward, the spring 11 is compressed and is adapted to expand and return the plunger to its normal position, when it is free to move.

When a coin is deposited in the vendingmachine, it rolls down the coin-chute and drops into the slot or opening of the plunger between a pivoted spring-actuated latch 13 and an adjustable arm 14:, and if the coin is of less diameter than a coin of the proper denomination it will drop downward into the machine without operating the same, and if the coin be of greater diameter than the proper coin it will not extend into the space between the latch and the arm sufficiently to permit the latch to be operated. A coin of the proper denomination extends partially between the latch and the arm and is supported in such position until the plunger is forced downward. This operation causes the coin to swing the latch outward beyond the path of a shoulder 15 of the plunger, and the latter is thereby permitted to move downward a sufficient distance to operate the machine. The latch, which is normally arranged in the path of the shoulder to prevent the in the said ways.

minals of which are extended to form the said arm 17 and to provide an attaching-arm 19, which is secured to the bracket; but any other form of spring may be employed. The arm 14, which' is arranged to support the coin, is located beneath the coin-chute and extends through a slot 20 of the bracket and is provided with clamping-nuts 21 for securing it at the desired adjustment; but any other means may be employed for securing the arm at the desired adjustment. By this construction the machine may be readily changed to adapt it to be operated by a nickel, dime, or other coin.

The lower end of the plunger is connected by a link 22 with one arm of a bell-crank lever 23, and the said link 22 is pivoted at its ends by pins or other suitable fastening devices to the plunger and to the bell-crank lever. The'other arm of the bell-crank lever is connected by a long approximately horizontal link 24: with the lower arm of an upright lever 25. The levers 23 and 25 are fulcrumed on suitable supports 26 and 27, and the said upright lever 25, which is pivoted between its ends, is connected at its upper end bya short link 28 with a reciprocating carrier 29. The reciprocating carrier 29, which is disposed horizontally, is provided with a transverse opening 30 and is mounted in suitable horizontal ways 31 in the upper portion of the casing or cabinet opposite an aperture 30 A trough or receptacle 31 is arranged below the aperture 30 and is adapted to receive the cigars, which are carried outward from the machine through the opening 30 by the said carrier, which deposits the cigars gently into the trough or receptacle 31 without injuring the wrappers.

The cigars are designed to be vended from the original package, so as not to interfere with the revenue laws, and a cigar-box 32 is arranged Within the upper portion of the casing at an inclination, as illustrated in Fig. 1, with one of its ends open. The cigars are thus fed to the carrier, and as soon as one box is empty another is placed in the casing. The short link 28 is located beneath the carrier and is hinged to the same and to the upper end of the lever 25.

The carrier may be constructed of any suitable material, and it preferably consists of a plate provided with side flanges 33, arranged The plate is provided with an opening 30, as before explained. The metal of the plate is bent downward at the back of the opening, and a front piece is secured to the plate and is arranged parallel with the flange or portion at the back of the opening. The upper portion of the casingis provided with a glass front to enable the brand of cigars to be readily seen, and the purchaser is thereby enabled to see the charactor of the cigar sold by the machine.

What I claim is 1. In a machine of the class specified, the combination with a manually depressible plunger having a coin-receiving recess, of a latch arranged in the path of the plunger and adapted to lock the plunger, and an adjustable device located adjacent to the latch on that side of the plunger opposite the latch, the latch and adjustable device forming sup ports for a coin delivered to the plunger-recess.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a manually-operated plunger having a coin-receiving recess, a lockinglatch arranged at one side of the plunger, an arm adjustably mounted at the opposite side of the plunger and cooperating with the latch to form a support fora coin held in the plunger-recess, whereby by the engagement of the plunger with the coin the latch is moved beyond the plane of movement of the plunger.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a manually-operated plunger having a coin-receiving recess, of a pivoted latch arranged at one side of the plunger and adapted to engage and lock the same, a slotted bracket, an adjustable arm mounted in the slot and movable to adjust the machine for the reception of coins of different size, the latch and arm engaging the opposite edges of coins projecting beyond the sides of the plunger, whereby on the downward movement of the plunger the latch is moved outward beyond the plane of the plunger, substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a depending bracket having plunger-guiding openings, of a plunger having a coin-receiving recess, a coin-chute extending to said recess, one side of the plunger being cut away to form a locking-shoulder, a spring-pressed latch pivoted to the bracket and adapted to engage the shoulder after a limited movement of the plunger, an arm carried by aslotted portion of the bracket and movable toward and from the latch, the arm and latch serving to engage the edges of a coin protruding beyond the sides of the plunger, whereby on the engagement of the plunger with the coin the latch will be moved beyond the locking-shoulder to permit an operative movement of said plunger.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a casing, a bracket mounted within the casing and provided with plungerguiding openings, an upright spring-supported plunger guided in said openings and provided near its lower end with a coin-receiving recess, the width of the plunger being less than that of the coin in order to permit the opposite sides of said coin to project the opposite edge of the plunger and adapted to engage the opposite edge of the coin, and means for looking said arm in adjusted position.

' In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in [O the presenceof two witnesses.

JOHN BROWN FENDER.

Witnesses:

A. G. MONEILL, R. MCBRIDE. 

